Three Habits of Strategic Ministry

Ministry leaders can find it hard to create strategic plans. Planning isn’t the problem, the struggle is being strategic.

It’s hard to create a strategic plan on paper without developing the habits of strategic ministry over time.

Here are three habits of strategic ministry.

Habit 1 – Prophetic Listening

Prophetic listening honours a fundamental principle of effective planning: everything is created twice, the physical creation follows the mental creation. Ministry initiatives worth pursuing, begin in the mind of God and come to us through listening prayer and discernment.

Prophetic listening means going to the Lord with an open heart and a blank slate, totally open to His vision and direction for the ministry. Too often ministry leaders go to the Lord and say, “Lord, here are our plans, please bless what we are doing.”

Prophetic listening prays differently, “Lord, we do not ask You to bless what we are doing, but to show us what You are blessing.”

Jesus exemplified this habit, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

What was Jesus’ strategic plan? Catch what the Father is doing and do that.

Habit 2 – Think steps, not programs

We should thank Andy Stanley for this principle. It comes from his book, The Seven Practices of Effective Ministry. Nothing has been more helpful for me in developing the mindset of strategic ministry.

To borrow an explanation from Andy: Imagine a large meeting room with two doors on opposite sides. Let’s say you wanted to help a friend get from one door to the other. Imagine you took a stack of paper and threw it up in the air, allowing the individual sheets to scatter all around the room. Then you told your friend that he  had to step on the pieces of paper to get from one door to the other. He might be able to do it, but his steps would take him all around the room. Some steps would require him to hop pretty far and put himself in danger of falling. Others might lead him away from the goal thus increasing the amount of time it takes to get to where he wants to go. He might easily lose track of where he is. Bottom line, it wouldn’t be a simple process.

But, if you took the stack of paper and carefully laid the sheets out so that the path led directly from one door to the other, and if the papers were laid close enough together to make it easy to step from one to the next …anybody could do it. AND THAT’S THE POINT.

The steps we invite people to take toward spiritual maturity as intentional disciples, need to be easy (you need to be able to make it from one sheet to the next), obvious (you need to be able to see which one to take next) and strategic (they need to lead right to the goal). Think steps not programs.

Every ministry event, program and initiative should begin by defining the step you are inviting others to take and make sure the steps are easy, obvious and strategic.

Habit 3 – Delegate by Sweet Spot

God works through people.

The strategic habit of delegating by sweet spot, honours the principle above. A sweet spot is the overlapping of talent, passion and need. God has hard-wired your people with specific talents and charisms. Also, He created them with unique passions and desires. As you collaboratively discern your people’s charisms and passions, you can align them with the needs of your ministry.

Consider every problem and opportunity occupying your mind right now, God has a name for you. The people in your community, movement or parish are the very answers you are looking for to solve your deepest problems and leverage your greatest opportunities.

Once you discover a sweet spot, an overlapping of talent, passion and need – delegate! Loose them and let them go!  Your people will become more engaged and they will bear abundant fruit.

The problem with strategic planning isn't planning, it's being strategic. Share on X Lord, we do not ask You to bless what we are doing, but to show us what You are blessing. Share on X Ministry worth pursuing begins in the mind of God & comes to us through listening prayer. Share on X What was Jesus' strategic plan? See what the Father is doing and do that. Share on X What is the difference between a team and a committee. Too much to write in 140 characters. Share on X A team has a clear win in mind & everyone involved has a specific position or part to play. Share on X